The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has announced that the Coalfields Community Investment Programme is now open for applications.

This is £500,000 created to support activities that tackle some of the key challenges that still remain in coalfield communities. The Coalfields Community Investment Programme make grants of up to £10,000 (£2,000 for capital costs) to community groups that address one or more of the following themes:

Skills - growing the skills of people to increase their opportunities

Employment - Developing pathways to increase the number of people in work

Health - increase participation in activities/services that improve the health and wellbeing of people in former coalfield communities.

There are four funding rounds each year distributing £125,000. The closing date for applications for the April decision making committee is the 17th March 2017.